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Stabbed Jacksonville cab driver describes fight for his life 3 days after another cabbie's slaying

Cab driver stabbed at 20th street and Grunthal

A 71-year-old Jacksonville cab driver stabbed deep in the neck in a robbery Tuesday morning told the Times-Union he won his battle for life when a shoe slipped off, dislodging one of his attackers as the cabbie lay kicking on the ground.

The robbery of about $20 occurred less than two miles from where cabbie Stuart Carson died Saturday in another robbery. Tuesday’s victim said he was aware of what happened to the other cabbie, whom he didn’t know, but went to work without fear and plans to do so despite being attacked.

“That can’t stop you from making a living,” said the man, who is not being identified by the Times-Union because no arrests have been reported. He spoke by telephone from his hospital room.

The victim said he needed about 70 stitches to close two deep neck wounds and remains in great pain. A Haitian immigrant and grandfather, he said he has been driving a taxi in Jacksonville for about a year after moving from Fort Lauderdale to help his son and daughter-in-law care for their three children.

The latest attack occurred about 1:50 a.m. near Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway and Grunthal Street in Northwest Jacksonville.

The man said he was outside his cab at the Hyatt hotel downtown about 1:30 a.m. when two men walked from a nearby parking lot and asked him for a ride. One man got in the front and the other in the back.

The victim said he and the men exchanged pleasantries along the way. He said he missed their turn by a few streets and was heading back when the front seat passenger grabbed the cabbie’s free right hand and the other stuck a knife to his neck.

He felt the knife break his skin and said he handed the men $15 to $20 from his pocket. They demanded more as the knife was thrust deeper, he said.

The driver, who suffered his second knife wound at some point, smashed his cab into a guardrail. He said he begged for his life as he struggled to get away.

“I decided to fight for my life anyhow I can,” the victim said. “I opened the door and threw myself out.”

The victim said the front passenger jumped toward him and grabbed his legs, holding onto a least one shoe. The victim said the shoe fell off as he tried to kick himself free.

“That’s how I got the chance to run,” he said.

Police found the bloodied, disoriented victim about a mile away at West 19th Street and the expressway.

Police said the robbers, one of whom may have been injured, fled west after leaving the cab.

Tuesday’s attack occurred west of where Carson’s body was found inside his cab about 7:30 a.m. Saturday on West 27th Street in Brentwood. Carson, 43, died after being robbed and shot. His wife said the father of four had picked up his last fare off Mayport Road and planned to go home after dropping that man off.

No arrests have been reported in Saturday’s killing.

The victim of Tuesday’s attack said he intends to fully recover and return to work as soon as possible.